BASF (Ludwigshafen / Germany; www.basf.com) is increasing capacity for its “Neopor” EPS foam at its plant in Ulsan / South Korea. The 40,000 t/y expansion will also see the plant’s entire 85,000 t/y output of the white foam resin sold under the “Styropor” trademark replaced with the improved graphite-containing grey foam. The German group points to growing demand for Neopor in Asia.

Adjustments are also being made to production facilities at Ludwigshafen to increase the share of the grey foam, with completion expected for this year’s fourth quarter. After debottlenecking, BASF said it can now produce 200,000 t/y of Neopor at the headquarters site. Overall, it has increased the site’s output capability for both Styropor and Neopor by 20,000 t/y to 460,000 t/y. Neopor is claimed to offer a 20% better insulation performance compared with Styropor. Due to their lower density, the lighter insulation panels make construction more efficient and result in 40% lower raw material input in production, the chemical and plastics giant said.

With Neopor, BASF is offering a product that has been further developed in economic as well as environmental terms to meet challenges in climate protection and resource conservation, said Klaus Ries, head of Global Business Management Styrenic Foams. Worldwide, he said, around 45% of total oil consumption and CO₂ emissions is caused by the heating and cooling of buildings, however, “this can be significantly reduced by comprehensive, efficient insulation, supplemented by optimised building equipment and the appropriate use of alternative energy sources.”